Research studies risks of plastic chemical

June 1st, 2006 in Medicine & Health /

U.S. researchers say a chemical used in plastic products such as baby bottles and microwave cookware permanently altered genes in newborn lab rats.

The study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Cincinnati found the changes in the animals from exposure to the chemical, used in making hard, polycarbonate plastics, affect the development of prostate glands, reports The Los Angeles Times. Such glands could be precursors to the most common form of cancer in males.

The incidence of prostate cancer in men has gone up in the last 30 years, says the study whose findings were reported Thursday in the journal Cancer Research.

The researchers cautioned the study was done on rats, which sometimes react differently to chemicals than humans.

A spokesman for the American Plastics Council called it a "fascinating research" which should be studied further. He also said the real question is how its affects humans.